Waban was one of three organizations to benefit from a “Light It Up Blue” fundraising event held on April 2 at the York Harbor Inn. Greg Silva is the banquet manager for the inn and inspiration hit in early March when he added a few factors together: the Silvas’ son, Jackson, is autistic and attends the Fraser-Ford Child Development Center, April is Autism Awareness Month, and Greg just happened to have the beautiful Yorkshire ballroom as a venue.

Silva’s goal was to put together an event in early April, invite the public and raise funds and awareness. He hoped for an attendance of maybe 100, with an optimistic goal of raising $5,000. As he wished to keep the funds raised within the state of Maine, he called the Maine Autism Alliance for advice and decided on a “Light It Up Blue” event, featuring the color blue in lights and decorations, recognized as the color of Autism Awareness Month. He never dreamed it would be so successful, bringing in over 300 people and raising over $11,300.

In just three-and-a-half short weeks, the “Light It Up Blue” silent auction came together successfully. There were also raffles, DJ dancing, refreshments, a photo booth and a lot of information to raise awareness about the growing percentage of the population with a diagnosis on the autism spectrum.

Waban’s Fraser-Ford Child Development Center, located in Sanford, provides special purpose preschool programs in an inclusive environment for children with Autism, Pervasive Developmental Delay (PDD), Down Syndrome, or other developmental or intellectual disabilities. Intensive developmental therapy, as well as speech, physical, and occupational therapies, that emphasize cognitive, social, physical, and language skill-building, as well as interactive play, is delivered year-round by dedicated and highly skilled professionals.

In partnership with the New England Center for Children, a comprehensive and progress-driven Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA)-based autism program (ACE) is integrated into each child’s daily activities. The Center’s resources for families include an Infant Toddler program, Parent Support Groups, a day care program called Creative Kids, as well as access to Children’s Case Managers that can help families learn how to navigate and access resources for their child.

The Silvas chimed in together saying, “We have been thrilled with the services we receive from Waban, and it’s evident in the growth that Jackson has shown since November. There are places closer to home, but we’d rather drive the 40 minutes to bring Jackson where he’s most comfortable. As parents, we see how the teachers work with him and we feel a real sense of community here.”

Meltzer responded to the Silvas’ generous efforts and contributions.

“It is very gratifying to see how parents and community members recognize and value how the services at Waban and the Fraser-Ford Child Development Center can impact a child’s life and put them on the road toward life-long success. The efforts of the Silvas, the owners and staff at the York Harbor Inn, and all the participants in the event will help ensure that essential services remain available for other children with special needs,” he said.

The funds will be used to support and enhance Waban’s services for children with autism.

The Silvas also chose Maine Autism Alliance as a recipient, in an effort to promote awareness throughout the state, as well as Nana’s Kids, a York resale shop that purchases iPads and GPS devices for students with autism.

When asked if this will this become an annual event, Greg Silva said, “It was such a successful event that we filled the ballroom to capacity! We’ll have to expand beyond the ballroom to the main dining room to accommodate all the people next year!”

Sounds like a yes.

Learn more about Autism and the programs available at Waban’s Fraser-Ford Child Development Center at www.waban.org and www.maineautism.org.

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